I am going to give you such a weapon that the police and the army will not be able to stand against it. It is the weapon of the Prophet, but you are not aware of it. That weapon is patience and righteousness. No power on earth can stand against it."Bacha Khan.
O Pashtuns! Your house has fallen into ruin. Arise and rebuild it, and remember to what race you belong." -- Bacha Khan

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Sunday, November 25, 2007

Core problem not pushtoonsThere is an article in Outlook about the latest Pakistani political circus (for want of a better word) titled “The General’s Gambit” It starts off with a rather wishy washy analysis of the Pakistani Presidential elections and then goes on to declare that “The real crisis is not about who will be President or who will be Prime Minister. It is about defusing the Taliban’s growing militancy. The war on terror is fatally bleeding Pakistan. It is upsetting America’s plans.” The article then links the “terrorism” to the Pushtoon population across Pakistan and Afghanistan and declares, “Pakistan did not cede the areas to Afghanistan. Subsequently Pakistan vainly tried to get Pashtun tribal chiefs and Taliban warlords to sign a renewal contract of the Treaty. This is the core of the problem to be resolved.” It then gives four possible solutions including independent Pashtuistan, implementing the Durand Line Treaty , all Pashtun areas being made part of Pakistan and fourth “ to arrive at an arrangement that legitimizes free intermingling of Pashtuns without altering international borders.”

It is tragic to see that political analysts have such a simplistic view of an intracte issue. Firstly, the issue is about who will be the President and rather the process of being a President. The issue is about how after 60 years of Pakistan , we are still subjected to drawing room deals and Presidents.Secondly, the issue of terrorism is not just about the Pushtoons. It is about Pushtoon areas being used and abused by international players together with the select few within the govnerment of Pakistan. Thirdly, the Durand Line issue and in fact the whole Pushtoon issue is about autonomy and nation hood. To simplify it to three or four incorrectly articualted options is simply tragic.